Picking shaft for weaving looms



J- PICANOL PICKING SHAFT FOR WEAVING LOOMS Jun; 16, 1953 Filed Sept. 27, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet, l

J. PICANOL PICKING SHAFT FOR WEAVING LOOMS :June 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1951 RNIYS June 16, 1953 J. PICANOL PICKING SHAFT FOR WEAVING, LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 2'7, 1951 J. PicANoL PICKING SHAFT FOR WEAVING LOOMS' June 16, 1953 Filed Sept. 27, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Liiiiiim ywm rm Jamze plCd/ZOZ the shuttle is obtained by crating alternatively and placed on both sides of theloom.

Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,642,093 .PICKING SHAFT FOR WEAVING LOOMS Jaime Pioanol, Zandberg, Zillebeke-lez-Ypres, Belgium Application September 27, 1951, Serial No. 248,605

' In Belgium February 16, 1951 3 Claims. (01. 139-447) In weaving looms, the reciprocating motion of two picker sticks of Each picker stick is pivotedat is lower end and its upper end is adapted to throw the shuttle inthe general direction of its longitudinal axis. The throw motion of each picker stick is obtained by means of a picking shaft to which is imparted an oscillating movement around its long itudinal axis and having an arm or a crank-pin engaged in one end of a lug strap of leather or similar materiahthe other end surrounding the corresponding part of the picker stick; this picking shaft is actuated by a cam and pulled back to a starting position by a spring.

For each revolution. of said cam corresponds an oscillation of the picking shaft in one direction and a strong pull on the picker stick.

In the present looms the arm or crank pin of the picking shaft is generally either parallel to the oscillating orlongitudinal axis, of the picking shaft, or perpendicular therewith.

These arrangements present serious disadvantages.

Of' course, during the operation of the loom. the picker stick follows the movements of the bat ten on the weft, whereby the lug strap holding the picker stick to the shaft is subjected to a combined movement. Consequently, the arm or crank pin of the picking shaft has imparted thereto two thrusts: a simple rotary movement by the picking shaft, and athrust by the lug strap holding it to the picker stick, in a direction resulting from the oscillation of the picker stick around two perpendicular axes. The result in present looms is that the arm or crank pin of the picking shaft is subjected to twisting as thepicker stick oscillates back and forth. This twisting causes an untimely wear of the lug strap at its junction to the picking shaft and picker stick.

The present invention has been conceived to obviate these twisting strains. This is obtained by arranging the traction element of the picker stick in an oblique position with respect to the oscillation axis of the picking shaft.

This oblique position or inclination is so determined that, during its effective movement said traction element will urge the lug strap and, consequently also, the picker stick in a direction as much as possible that of the picker stick.

Therefore, during the throw proper, there will occur practically no twisting in the lug strap and the contact between said lug strap and the crank pin of the shaft is always obtained on a cylindrical surface during the entire throwing time.

Of course, a twisting cannot be entirely avoided at the return of the picker stick to its initial position; however, when returning, the picker stick is not under strain and is only called back by an elastic element, such as a spring.

The invention will be described more in detail hereafter and with reference to the drawings herewith, in which:

Figure I is a schematic view of part of a loom, showing more particularly the relative position of the device object of the invention.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates the trajectory of the picker stick at the start of its course.

Figures 3 to 8 represent quite schematically in plan view and in side elevation, three characteristic positions of the picking shaft object of the invention.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the principle of the invention; Figure 10 is a XII-XII of lower end. The movement of the picker stick 2 is produced by a picking shaft 3' which is oscillatably actuated by a cam 4 intermediary of a cam-roller 5. Also, said picking shaft urges the picker stick 2 to which it is attached by a lug strap 6.

If the movement of the upper part of the picker stick 2 is now considered, at least at the starting of its. course, it is found as shown in Figure 2 that, as it oscillates around an axis parallel to the frames of the loom, said picker stick simultaneously follows the alternating movements of the batten on the weft.

Accordingly, said picker stick will not move in a plane parallel to the front of the loom, but along a complex curve such that the lug strap 5 itself receives a transverse thrust during the oscillation of the picker stick. Considering now an the pulling phase of the picking shaft while said lug strap pulls the picker stick in an irrational if not dangerous manner.

According to the invention the crank pin 1,

which is engaged by one end of the lug strap 6, is olfset relatively to the picking shaft 3 proper, that is: said crank pin 1 and said picking shaft are non-parallel and non-convergent. The offset of crank pin 1 in relation to the picking shaft 3 is such that the lug strap urges the picker stick 2 practically in a direction which is parallel, or approximately so, to the trajectory followed by the picker shaft In the practical embodiment of Figures 9 to 13,

the picking shaft 3 is, at one end bent and profiled in such a manner as to form a crank pin 1, offset in relation to the longitudinal axis of said picking shaft.

The said shaft is journalled in bearings 39. At one end it carries a radial stub shaft terminated by the roller 5 in permanent'contact with the cam l mounted on a shaft I3 perpendicular, or approximately perpendicular, to the longitudinal axis of the picking shaft 3. At its other end, the picking shaft 3 has akey l4 engaged in the aperture E5 of a leather strip i5 partly wound around the corresponding part of the picking shaft; the free end of said strip is suspended from a helicoidal spring l? which hangs by its upper end is on a stationary part of the loom. The picking shaft 3 further carries a small arm i9 which supports a stop 28 angularly adjustable thereon through the intermediary of a bolt 24 passing through an arcuate slot 31 made in arm 49, said bolt being secured by a nut 22. This stop 29 is placed opposite an. elastic pad 23 secured to the frame of the loom. An extremity of the picking shaft 3 is bent so as to form an arm 24 extended by an elbow 25 terminating in the pin 1. The lug strap ti has, one end engaged with said pin through the intermediary of a bushing 26, held between a collar 27 at the base of the pin 'i and a flat washer 28 clamped against the free end of said pin by a screw 29 axially engaged in said pin. The other end of the lug strap 5 is in contact with the corresponding part of the picker stick 2 and, at that point, supported by a connecting rod 30 pivoted to the foot of picker stick 2.

The crank pin 7 being offset, with regard to the longitudinal axis of the picking shaft 3, its relative position to said axis is determined by the inclinations a and ,8 said inclinations being chosen in such a manner that the urging on the picker stick 2 by the lug strap 6 occurs always in a direction which is parallel, or approximately parallel, to the trajectory followed by said picker stick 2.

Therefore, if it is considered that the cam l2 has imparted thereto a continuous rotation in the direction of the arrow 1, the picking shaft '3 will be oscillated around its longitudinal axis by the roller 5 and, each time, at the end of the stroke, the stop 20 will abut the elastic pad 23. The crank pin I also describes an oscillating movement but, because of its offset position, said crank pin 7 practically always remains perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lug strap 6. Therefore, the picker stick is always urged substantially in the direction of its trajectory. By this simple expedient the loom will operate efficiently with a minimum of wear, one of the vital parts of a weaving loom being considered to be the picking motion.

The device of the invention could of course be applied in different ways, and the inclinations of the pin of the picking shaft may duly be varied for each application.

What .I claim is:

1. As an improvement in weaving looms having a picker stick and a lug strap therefor, a picking shaft, an end portion of said picking shaft being bent back over itself, a crank pin depending from said end portion for connecting with the picker stick through the lug strap, said crank pin being inclined and offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the picking shaft.

2. As an improvement in weaving looms having a picker stick and a lug strap therefor, a picking shaft, a crank pin at the end of said'shaft for connecting with the picker stick through the lug strap, said shaft being curved intermediate its free end, a straight'portion continuing said curve, the crank pin mounted at the free end overhanging, ofiset and inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, whereby-the orientation of the crank pin is such that it urges the stick in a direction that is adjacent to the trajectory of saidstick.

' JAIME PICANOL.

References Cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date T Archer Sept. 7, 1926 Santon July 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 1, 1923 Number Number 

